I shared a room with the guys, not that I minded. In the beds next to me
were Slit and Arc. The two of them and I got along very well. They always
defended me, and kept me safe from the others. In many ways I should have
been offended, but I was not. If it weren't for them I knew I would have
had broken bones a long time ago. The reason for their protectiveness of
me, was because Arc had a wife in the air force, and Slit had a girlfriend
in the Navy (he was acquainted with her through her father, who was also in
the navy.) I knew quite a lot about them, as they knew a lot about Harm.
Harm was in the majority of my thoughts. When we did recon missions, I remembered the case where Harm and I defended a lieutenant who had been raped during a recon mission. At night I would dream of the two of us, and wait for a word to come about him. When I closed my eyes I saw him, when I looked at men I compared them to him, and when I changed I imagined him touching me. I missed him so much.
The day had come that we were being sent to Afghanistan. We boarded onto the USS Seagull and were immediately shown to our quarters. I shared a room with Slit, and we were comfortably settled in. It would be about three weeks until we would reach our destination.
At dinnertime we entered the mess room to find it full of pilots and navy men. Rock had joined us. Sharing a room with Arc allowed us to get to know each other better. He was of a lower rank, but that didn't make a difference. He was a heavy build black with strong features. He was our explosives expert, having left a carrier in HRT to join the Army, he was fully qualified, and knew every type of bomb made by man. We got our dinner and took a table into the far corner of the room. Halfway through my explaining of the declaration of independence an Ensign came in and yelled: Captain on deck.
We immediately got up and stood in attention as was required.
"As you were." Came a loud thundering voice. I looked up to find a red- haired man. The room once again became loud and then the captain looked around for someone.
I looked at Slit. "Isn't that your brother?" I asked him. Slit turned around, and behold, the captain immediately recognized him and began walking over.
"Will you look at that," said Slit to no one in particular, "so my big brother does have a big ship." Then when the Captain was close enough, he stood straight and saluted. "Captain Scully."
The captain saluted back, "Colonel Scully, I trust you've been behaving on my boat."
"Of coarse Sir. I wouldn't want you to tell Mom I haven't."
Then with a roar of laughter the two men embraced.
I looked on smiling remarking how the two looked so alike. Their broad shoulders and their tall composure made them look intelligent, tough, and more importantly invincible.
"Bill, this is Mac, and Rock. You know Arc."
"Pleased to meet you." Bill, the captain replied.
"Can you eat with us, or are we too low a position?" Slit asked sarcastically.
"I can do whatever the hell I want. It's my ship." Then he turned to the man behind him. "Ensign, get me dinner."
"Aye, aye, Sir." The Ensign replied.
We all moved over one, so that the Bill could sit across from Slit. "So, Charlie how's Dana?"
"She's okay. Mac and I saw her and Mulder a couple days ago in Quantico. They were arguing as usual. Dana's pregnant again and I don't think mom knows yet."
"Ah, well, Mom will be happy. I bet Dana and Mulder are."
"They seemed to be."
"Rat packed son of a bitch can do at least something right." Bill said. His tone was not a pleasant one, and I noticed right away he his feelings for his brother-in-law weren't nice ones.
"You have to make up with him sometime, Bill. You're never going to see Dana otherwise."
"I know. I just hate him, so much."
"I think he's a nice guy, and he fits Dana perfectly. If I were you I would drop by them sometime and just watch them work. They're both so stubborn it's funny." Slit shoved another spoon of mashed potatoes in his mouth and then looked at me.
Bill looked at me too. "So, you're the infamous Colonel Mackenzie. I knew your Uncle quite well. Too bad about him though."
I nodded. "Thank you. I think so too. He was one tough marine."
"As I bet you are to."
"Yes, sir." I answered. Always be polite to a senior officer and you'll get things in the end.
"It's Bill, Mac."
"Okay Bill."
"Admiral Chegwidden told me to make sure you were doing alright. You apparently are being greatly missed at JAG. They haven't even replaced you yet. Though I'm supposed to tell you that a bunch of mail is in the mail room for you, and by a bunch I mean that you have more mail then I have ever seen in my life."
My heart flipped. Harm. My smile was big. I couldn't wait to see it. My eagerness would have to wait till later. I still had my dinner to finish, and I couldn't get out, sitting in between Bill and Arc.
"Also, I was told that you forgot something very important involved in a case before you left, and that someone will come to conference with you on that tomorrow or the day after. I still have to see when it's possible."
"Thank you, Sir."
"No problem" Slowly the conversation slowly turned and Arc began talking to Bill about how he'd fix a computer or something a long that line. I however was no longer paying attention to the conversation. I had no interest in them, but rather my thoughts were drawn to the pile of mail awaiting me. Harriet, Harm, and perhaps Uncle Matt would have written me. I couldn't wait. Then further more, someone was coming to see me. Who would the Admiral send? Harm? Bud? Or perhaps he'd send one of the others?
I was pulled from my thoughts by Slit calling my name. "Mac."
"Oh, sorry. I was thinking about something else."
"Obviously." Slit smiled. "Wanna go?"
"Go?" I was so oblivious to everything going on around me.
"Yeah. You probably want to go and check out your mail. So, what do you say?" Slit was so kind. I looked from him to Bill and then Arc, who were waiting for the answer.
"Yeah." My smile was larger than ever.
The three men laughed.
I blushed.
"I had better be going," Bill said. "Who knows what those idiots are doing in my bridge. I'll see you guys later."
"Yes, sir." The three of us stood up casually. When he had left we asked a sailor where the mailroom was and then the four of us slowly moved towards it. In twenty minutes I had sixteen letters in my hand and was sitting on my bed reading them.
The first one was from Harm. I immediately opened it and smiled when a picture fell out. It was one of the two of us at the Admiral's birthday party a year before. I remember that Harriet had taken it. I had never actually seen the picture, but I knew that Harm had probably gotten a copy. I slowly opened the letter, and on saw his handwriting.
My dear Sarah,
How are you doing? I hope the men aren't groping at you. If they are, then I'll personally kick their ass's when you return.
The office isn't the same without you. Chegwidden is uptight, and all the cases are dull at the moment. I have yet to find your notes on the Brandon case, but I can't say I've looked hard. I probably missed it somewhere. Bud's second seating me in court. The other three cases passed perfectly, your notes were amazing. I had won the case within twenty minutes and my opening statement. Actually, your opening statement I just used the one you wrote. Thanks.
I miss you so much. I came home today and thought: "What should I do tonight. I'll call Mac, maybe she's free." I guess it finally hit me that you're not here anymore, but probably somewhere on a ship heading towards war. Don't get too friendly with pilots. They're bad for you. I'm the exception naturally.
I told Grandma Sarah about us. Want to know what she said. "It's about bloody time, Harmon." Get this; my grandma knew we loved each other long ago. Is that not weird? She still surprises me in my old age. Mom and Dad are coming to visit tomorrow for a week or two. I hope you don't mind that I put them in your apartment. I can't stand my mother breathing down my neck. The Admiral will be calling the USS Seagull, so if you don't want them to, tell him then. I can put them in a hotel.
Mom will go into hysterics when I tell her we're together, and then I think she'll faint when I say you've gone off to play soldier.
Take care Ninja girl,
Harm
PS Tell those men of yours that they'll have to deal with me if they let anything happen to you. And Bud, and also probably the Admiral. The admiral in particular, after all, he didn't want you to leave. I Love you, Marine.
H.R. Jr.
I put the letter down. I was warm all over. I read through Harriet's letter's quickly and then read the one's from Uncle Matt, who had gotten the address from Harm. Last but not least there was a letter from General Winslow, saying how proud he was of me and how I was an asset to the US Marine Corps.
After finishing my letters I got out of bed and placed them on the desk. I'd write back tomorrow and then send the letters back with whoever would come for the case. Looking over at Slit I noticed he'd fallen asleep. I took the letter from his hand and placed it on the table next to mine, and covered him with a blanket. Then I turned off the light and crawled back into bed.
My dreams were filled of my Navy pilot/lawyer who lay waiting for me so many miles away.
* * *
Harm was in the majority of my thoughts. When we did recon missions, I remembered the case where Harm and I defended a lieutenant who had been raped during a recon mission. At night I would dream of the two of us, and wait for a word to come about him. When I closed my eyes I saw him, when I looked at men I compared them to him, and when I changed I imagined him touching me. I missed him so much.
The day had come that we were being sent to Afghanistan. We boarded onto the USS Seagull and were immediately shown to our quarters. I shared a room with Slit, and we were comfortably settled in. It would be about three weeks until we would reach our destination.
At dinnertime we entered the mess room to find it full of pilots and navy men. Rock had joined us. Sharing a room with Arc allowed us to get to know each other better. He was of a lower rank, but that didn't make a difference. He was a heavy build black with strong features. He was our explosives expert, having left a carrier in HRT to join the Army, he was fully qualified, and knew every type of bomb made by man. We got our dinner and took a table into the far corner of the room. Halfway through my explaining of the declaration of independence an Ensign came in and yelled: Captain on deck.
We immediately got up and stood in attention as was required.
"As you were." Came a loud thundering voice. I looked up to find a red- haired man. The room once again became loud and then the captain looked around for someone.
I looked at Slit. "Isn't that your brother?" I asked him. Slit turned around, and behold, the captain immediately recognized him and began walking over.
"Will you look at that," said Slit to no one in particular, "so my big brother does have a big ship." Then when the Captain was close enough, he stood straight and saluted. "Captain Scully."
The captain saluted back, "Colonel Scully, I trust you've been behaving on my boat."
"Of coarse Sir. I wouldn't want you to tell Mom I haven't."
Then with a roar of laughter the two men embraced.
I looked on smiling remarking how the two looked so alike. Their broad shoulders and their tall composure made them look intelligent, tough, and more importantly invincible.
"Bill, this is Mac, and Rock. You know Arc."
"Pleased to meet you." Bill, the captain replied.
"Can you eat with us, or are we too low a position?" Slit asked sarcastically.
"I can do whatever the hell I want. It's my ship." Then he turned to the man behind him. "Ensign, get me dinner."
"Aye, aye, Sir." The Ensign replied.
We all moved over one, so that the Bill could sit across from Slit. "So, Charlie how's Dana?"
"She's okay. Mac and I saw her and Mulder a couple days ago in Quantico. They were arguing as usual. Dana's pregnant again and I don't think mom knows yet."
"Ah, well, Mom will be happy. I bet Dana and Mulder are."
"They seemed to be."
"Rat packed son of a bitch can do at least something right." Bill said. His tone was not a pleasant one, and I noticed right away he his feelings for his brother-in-law weren't nice ones.
"You have to make up with him sometime, Bill. You're never going to see Dana otherwise."
"I know. I just hate him, so much."
"I think he's a nice guy, and he fits Dana perfectly. If I were you I would drop by them sometime and just watch them work. They're both so stubborn it's funny." Slit shoved another spoon of mashed potatoes in his mouth and then looked at me.
Bill looked at me too. "So, you're the infamous Colonel Mackenzie. I knew your Uncle quite well. Too bad about him though."
I nodded. "Thank you. I think so too. He was one tough marine."
"As I bet you are to."
"Yes, sir." I answered. Always be polite to a senior officer and you'll get things in the end.
"It's Bill, Mac."
"Okay Bill."
"Admiral Chegwidden told me to make sure you were doing alright. You apparently are being greatly missed at JAG. They haven't even replaced you yet. Though I'm supposed to tell you that a bunch of mail is in the mail room for you, and by a bunch I mean that you have more mail then I have ever seen in my life."
My heart flipped. Harm. My smile was big. I couldn't wait to see it. My eagerness would have to wait till later. I still had my dinner to finish, and I couldn't get out, sitting in between Bill and Arc.
"Also, I was told that you forgot something very important involved in a case before you left, and that someone will come to conference with you on that tomorrow or the day after. I still have to see when it's possible."
"Thank you, Sir."
"No problem" Slowly the conversation slowly turned and Arc began talking to Bill about how he'd fix a computer or something a long that line. I however was no longer paying attention to the conversation. I had no interest in them, but rather my thoughts were drawn to the pile of mail awaiting me. Harriet, Harm, and perhaps Uncle Matt would have written me. I couldn't wait. Then further more, someone was coming to see me. Who would the Admiral send? Harm? Bud? Or perhaps he'd send one of the others?
I was pulled from my thoughts by Slit calling my name. "Mac."
"Oh, sorry. I was thinking about something else."
"Obviously." Slit smiled. "Wanna go?"
"Go?" I was so oblivious to everything going on around me.
"Yeah. You probably want to go and check out your mail. So, what do you say?" Slit was so kind. I looked from him to Bill and then Arc, who were waiting for the answer.
"Yeah." My smile was larger than ever.
The three men laughed.
I blushed.
"I had better be going," Bill said. "Who knows what those idiots are doing in my bridge. I'll see you guys later."
"Yes, sir." The three of us stood up casually. When he had left we asked a sailor where the mailroom was and then the four of us slowly moved towards it. In twenty minutes I had sixteen letters in my hand and was sitting on my bed reading them.
The first one was from Harm. I immediately opened it and smiled when a picture fell out. It was one of the two of us at the Admiral's birthday party a year before. I remember that Harriet had taken it. I had never actually seen the picture, but I knew that Harm had probably gotten a copy. I slowly opened the letter, and on saw his handwriting.
My dear Sarah,
How are you doing? I hope the men aren't groping at you. If they are, then I'll personally kick their ass's when you return.
The office isn't the same without you. Chegwidden is uptight, and all the cases are dull at the moment. I have yet to find your notes on the Brandon case, but I can't say I've looked hard. I probably missed it somewhere. Bud's second seating me in court. The other three cases passed perfectly, your notes were amazing. I had won the case within twenty minutes and my opening statement. Actually, your opening statement I just used the one you wrote. Thanks.
I miss you so much. I came home today and thought: "What should I do tonight. I'll call Mac, maybe she's free." I guess it finally hit me that you're not here anymore, but probably somewhere on a ship heading towards war. Don't get too friendly with pilots. They're bad for you. I'm the exception naturally.
I told Grandma Sarah about us. Want to know what she said. "It's about bloody time, Harmon." Get this; my grandma knew we loved each other long ago. Is that not weird? She still surprises me in my old age. Mom and Dad are coming to visit tomorrow for a week or two. I hope you don't mind that I put them in your apartment. I can't stand my mother breathing down my neck. The Admiral will be calling the USS Seagull, so if you don't want them to, tell him then. I can put them in a hotel.
Mom will go into hysterics when I tell her we're together, and then I think she'll faint when I say you've gone off to play soldier.
Take care Ninja girl,
Harm
PS Tell those men of yours that they'll have to deal with me if they let anything happen to you. And Bud, and also probably the Admiral. The admiral in particular, after all, he didn't want you to leave. I Love you, Marine.
H.R. Jr.
I put the letter down. I was warm all over. I read through Harriet's letter's quickly and then read the one's from Uncle Matt, who had gotten the address from Harm. Last but not least there was a letter from General Winslow, saying how proud he was of me and how I was an asset to the US Marine Corps.
After finishing my letters I got out of bed and placed them on the desk. I'd write back tomorrow and then send the letters back with whoever would come for the case. Looking over at Slit I noticed he'd fallen asleep. I took the letter from his hand and placed it on the table next to mine, and covered him with a blanket. Then I turned off the light and crawled back into bed.
My dreams were filled of my Navy pilot/lawyer who lay waiting for me so many miles away.
* * *